New round of Syria peace talks begins in Geneva

The latest round of peace talks between rival Syrian factions has started in Geneva, Switzerland, with U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura greeting the government delegation on the morning of Friday, March 24.

De Mistura is scheduled to meet with the opposition delegation later in the day.

Talks are expected to last until April 1, focusing on governance, constitutional changes, U.N.-sponsored elections, and counterterrorism measures, according to U.N. spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci.

The war has ravaged Syria for seven years, taking a terrible toll on civilians.

Hundreds of thousands have been killed and more than half the population—11 million people—have been driven from their homes, according to Worldvision.org.

The forces of President Bashar, backed by Russia and Iran, currently have the upper hand and hope to totally eradicate the opposition forces, some of which receive U.S. support.